Crossing paths
by Maethril2
Summary: Regardless of the universe, they would always find each other.


This is my version of Gambit and Rogue's first meeting in a hypothetical movie. Just wishful thinking but I hope you like it.

**xXxXx**

**I**t was still early. Early enough for the bar to be filled with ordinary people, with their daily grind, wanting to let off some steam after a tiring day's work. Also too early for drunks and degenerates. The right time to find good company as Gambit knew from experience. Since his arriving, ten minutes earlier, he had already exchanged glances with a couple of pretty girls who looked interested; however, he was still considering whether he was going to make a move. Pretty or not, there were other requirements to be considered. All in all, for the time being, he felt like drinking by himself; the night was yet to begin.

Sitting at the bar counter, he slightly leaned forward and ordered a second shot of bourbon. He glanced at a movement on his left, which put his senses on alert. Proceeded to look around in a deliberately bored fashion, when in truth, he was calculating a possible way out and best courses of action in case someone had followed him there after the heist from a few hours back. As his right hand picked up his drink, his left hand moved inside the pocket of his long brown coat; his fingers feeling the spoil of the day before he had to hand it in to his employer.

Not only was he cautious but also an eximious and talented thief who, for the most part, would rather accept an offer that would present him with a challenge than one with a higher financial reward. This disposition of his had always been held in low regard by his adoptive father and so was his tendency to favor beautiful women in danger; nonetheless, he had never listened to such criticism, for he knew of the value of the experience he acquired working by his own rules. Above all, there was the arrogance of youth together with an irresponsible notion of immortality.

Realizing his suspicion was a false alarm, he watched himself fall in an abyss of boredom. In hindsight, the heist had been way too easy. Therefore, his mind wandered, plotting ways to get himself out of that monotony when a voice pleasantly yanked him out of his daydreaming.

"Is this seat taken?" said the voice, which was simultaneously hoarse and sweet, melodious and undoubtedly Southerner.

A smirk shaped his lips even before he turned to meet the owner of that intoxicating voice.

Not waiting on a reply, the girl sat down on the stool next to him. He gave a sidelong glance and his smirk deepened as he looked at the view that was better than his imagination – and his expectations were always unrealistically high.

"Can Ah have a beer?" the girl ordered as she laid her arms down on the counter. The movement made her wavy brown hair softly slid off her shoulders. As she waited for her drink, she turned her face to the young man sitting next to her. Watched him in silence with a sly smile on red lips. She mouthed a thanks when a bottle was set in front of her, took a small sip and turned around so she was facing him. "You're Gambit" perhaps she intended to ask a question but sounded like a statement.

"An' you're an X-Man" he said, with a smirk. Took another sip and faked disinterest. Put his drink down on the counter and turned to see the girl's face; a strand of brown hair fell over his one-of-a-kind eyes of red irises and black sclera.

The girl, who believed to be playing her character flawlessly theretofore, pretended not to be surprised and disappointed. "How—?"

"On your chest" he replied straightforwardly with an unmistakable Cajun accent. Such a familiar accent to her who grew up on the other side of the Mississippi River.

She looked down at the X on her uniform on the right side of her chest. Asked herself how he was able to notice it as he had barely glanced at her. She crankily pulled her brown jacket tighter in order to cover up the X as if in doing so she could change the outcome of the conversation. Anyway, better stick to the plan. "Ah'm Rogue."

"It's a pleasure, Rogue" he said, wondering whether she had any idea of how naturally seductive her voice was. She smirked, thinking she had scored a point, until he added: "But tell Storm my answer's still no."

If Rogue didn't know of his powers, which consisted of charging inanimate objects with kinetic energy, she would have guessed he was a telepath. However, she quickly deducted that the Cajun was simply a terrific player and observant.

As her mission had gotten off on the wrong foot, Rogue gave a discouraged sigh. She couldn't even take credit for finding him – that was on Cerebro. She had been an X-Man for less than a year and that was her first time going on a solo recruiting mission. She should have listened to Storm's warning about Gambit not being easy to persuade, should have faced the challenge with less confidence and arrogance.

At any rate, Storm, who had met Gambit years prior and saw him as a friend, had tried recruiting him on two other occasions, and failed. In her last attempt, she told Rogue, she invited Gambit right after a mission on Genosha. Not only had he been of great help, but also crucial to their triumph. By the end of the mission, Gambit gave Storm a hug and a kiss on her forehead, and merely told her he couldn't stay. Now, for all there was ahead of them, Gambit could prove to be an essential ally, and Rogue felt the weight of her responsibility of talking him into joining the X-Men.

"Storm warned me about you playing hard to get" she said, keeping her seductive/innocent tone of voice. Observed the man's profile – young, around her age – waiting for him to turn his face to her. Struggled not to be affected by the staged indifference that he displayed so convincingly, for she knew it to be part of the game.

Gambit let out a laughter that although sarcastic had its charm. "Ain't playing hard to get. Just don't have de time to be an X-Man, _chère_" and he at last turned to face her. "Not dat I t'ink what you do isn't important," he added. Rogue disregarded the pinch of irony conspicuous in his voice "but de t'ought of fighting alongside de good guys, so selflessly, not for me."

In a curious awe, Rogue bent over closer to him. "Ah used to think like you until Ah realized that the X-Men saved me."

The sardonic smile that touched his lips made Rogue believe that he had figured out her bluff. Trying to win him over through empathy must have been too obvious, she thought, kicking herself mentally.

"I don't need no saving" he stated as he tilted his head at her and his tone of voice dropped a few octaves. There was an inexplicable amalgam of malice and hopelessness of redemption in his words. Rogue wondered which of them was real. "Dere's not'ing wrong in not choosing a side."

The girl felt her eyelids heavy as her green eyes went out of focus. There was something in his voice that made her head haze and a tingling prompting her to believe in his every word. Only when Gambit cut off eye contact she went back to thinking straight.

Storm had told her something about an ability Gambit had, Rogue recalled, something like a hypnotic charm. And even after the effect had worn off, she still felt the familiarity surrounding her. Being there, back in New Orleans, reminded her of a happy childhood that belonged to the past. Too early, his grave voice brought her back to reality.

"Don't mean we can't be _friends_" he murmured suggestively.

Rogue leaned back and laid her left elbow on the counter in an excuse to back away from him. "Just one mission."

Gambit sneered. "It's always just one mission."

"We need you, we need all the help we can find" she argued back. Gambit jerked to the side, and Rogue pinned his arm down as she thought he was about to move away.

His demonic eyes looked down at the gloved hand that held his forearm against the counter. Wondered about her needing for gloves. Embarrassed, Rogue pulled her hand back and looked away. It lasted less than a second, for her self-confidence was back when she reminded herself of her mission's goal.

"You know why Storm sent me, of all people?"

The sharp self-assurance in her voice caught Gambit's attention. He decided that he was taking a liking to that girl. "Cause she knows I've a soft spot for pretty girls?" he suggested.

She gave a smile. Not a vain smile, but one that showed she finally had the upper hand. "Storm warned me about you being an incorrigible ladies' man. But, no, not the reason."

Her remark didn't undermine his vanity, on the contrary, made it bigger. "Why den?" he whispered as he brought his face closer to hers.

"'Cause Ah can be very... persuasive."

The innuendo in her voice grabbed his attention. Gambit wondered what really was behind her words. "Prove it."

The corner of her mouth curled upwards as she took one glove off. "All Ah need is a touch of mah bare hand to steal everything from you."

Interesting choice of words, he thought to himself. She obviously knew he was a thief and still challenged him to up the ante. "How's dat supposed to persuade me?" he was genuinely intrigued.

"If mah skin comes in contact with your skin, Ah get you knocked out. Ah don't think anyone will mind me carrying you outta here."

"Sounds like a great plan, _chère_, except knocking me out and taking me somewhere else won't do to talk me into helping you."

"Maybe you change your mind when you wake up at Xavier's" she shot back.

His smirk grew broader. He was starting to get a kick out of that dynamic. "Kidnapping isn't the X-Men's way."

"Haven't always been an X-Man, sugah."

However, before he had the chance to reply, his smirk vanished and his expression became grave as his eyes stared at something behind her. "Sounds fascinating" he said "but we have to get outta here right away."

Her body stiffened at the anticipation of a sudden change. "Why?"

Gambit leaned toward her as if he was about to whisper her a secret or steal a kiss. "We're surrounded" he said staring at her, however still attentive to what was unfolding around them. "De question is: someone followed _you_ here… or _me_?"

"What do we do?" she whispered back, not knowing the answer to his question. Her head spinning, devising a possible course of action.

An asymmetric smile caressed his lips while his eyes seemed to shine. "Come wit' me" he murmured before standing up and offering a hand for her to grab.

Rogue swallowed in a dry throat as she stared at his deadpan. There was a high probability of it being a stunt to get her out of there to shake her off. For now, she would play his game, though. She got to her feet and held his hand with her gloved hand.

Gambit led her out of there.

**xXxXx**


End file.
